Chronicles : The Historie of England | Page 8

inclose the kings nauie, for the king had
also a nauie & an armie by land: but yet sith there were few either on
the one part or the other, that were able to doo anie great feat except

Englishmen, they were loth to fight one against another, wherevpon the
wiser sort on both sides sought meanes to make an atonement: and so at
length by their diligent trauell, the matter was taken vp, and the armies
being dismissed on both parts, earle Goodwine was restored to his
former dignitie. Herevpon were pledges deliuered on his behalfe, that is
to say, Wilnotus one of his sonnes, and Hacun the sonne of Swanus the
eldest sonne of Goodwine. These two pledges were sent vnto William
duke of Normandie, to be kept with him for more assurance of
Goodwines loialtie.
[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._ _Matth. West._ _Simon Dun._ _Wil. Malm._]
Some write that Swanus the eldest sonne of Goodwine was not
reconciled to the kings fauour at this time; but whether he was or not,
this is reported of him for a truth, that after he had attempted sundrie
rebellions against king Edward, he lastlie also rebelled against his
father Goodwine, and his brother Harold, and became a pirate,
dishonouring with such manifold robberies as he made on the seas, the
noble progenie whereof he was descended. Finallie vpon remorse of
conscience (as hath béene thought) for murthering of his coosine (or as
some say his brother) erle Bearne, he went on pilgrimage to Hierusalem,
and died by the way of cold which he [Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._ _Will.
Malms._] caught in returning homeward (as some write) in Licia: but
others affirme, that he fell into the hands of Saracens that were robbers
by the high waies, and so was murthered of them.
* * * * *

_At what time William duke of Normandie came ouer into England,
king Edward promiseth to make him his heire to the kingdom and
crowne, the death of queene Emma, earle Goodwine being growne in
fauor againe seeketh new reuenges of old grudges, causing archbishop
Robert and certeine noble Normans his aduersaries to be banished;
Stigand intrudeth himselfe into archbishop Roberts see, his simonie and
lacke of learning; what maner of men were thought meet to be made
bishops in those daies, king Edward beginneth to prouide for the good
and prosperous state of his kingdome, his consideration of lawes made

in his predecessours times and abused; the lawes of S. Edward vsuallie
called the common lawes, how, whereof, and wherevpon instituted; the
death of earle Goodwine being sudden (as some say) or naturall (as
others report) his vertues and vices, his behauiour and his sonnes vpon
presumption and will in the time of their authorities; his two wiues and
children; the sudden and dreadfull death of his mother; hir selling of the
beautifull youth male and female of this land to the Danish people._
THE FOURTH CHAPTER.
[Sidenote: William duke of Normandie commeth ouer into England.]
The foresaide William duke of Normandie (that after conquered this
land) during the time of Goodwines outlawrie, came ouer into this land
with a faire retinue of men, and was ioifullie receiued of the king, and
had great chéere. Now after he had taried a season, he returned into his
countrie, not without great gifts of jewels and other things, [Sidenote:
Polydor. K. Edwards promise to duke William.] which the king most
liberallie bestowed vpon him. And (as some write) the king promised
him at that time, to make him his heire to the realme of England, if he
chanced to die without issue. ¶ Shortlie after, or rather somewhat
before, queene Emma the kings mother died, and was buried at
Winchester.
After that earle Goodwine was restored to the kings fauour, bicause he
knew that Robert the archbishop of Canturburie had beene the chéefe
procurer of the kings euill will towards him, he found means to weare
him out of credit, and diuers other specially of the Normans, bearing
the world in hand, that they had sought to trouble the state of the
realme, & to set variance betwixt the king and the lords of the English
nation: whereas the Normans againe alledged, that earle Goodwine and
his sonnes abused the kings soft and gentle nature, & would not sticke
to ieast and mocke at his curteous and mild [Sidenote: The archbishop
of Canturburie banished.] procéedings. But howsoeuer the matter went,
archbishop Robert was glad to depart out of the realme, and going to
Rome, made complaint in the court there, of the iniuries that were
offred him: but in returning through Normandie, he died in the abbeie
of Gemmeticum, where he had bene moonke before his comming into

England.
Diuerse others were compelled to forsake the realme at the same